Reviewed by Stella Redburn

Heather is, of course, a well known singer whose work has, at different times, straddled mainstream R&B, gospel and Broadway shows. This is a timely release as Heather is currently starring in the new West End musical The Bodyguard. This album features one of the Whitney Houston songs from that show, "Run To You", which, with Heather's rich contralto oozing passion, is as good as the original. The production by Paul Mills and Keith Thomas is of the highest quality with a deft blend of MOR, R&B and more theatrical moments. Six of the 12 songs are Heather's own and reflect some of the ups and downs of life. "A Little While" is a tribute to her mother, while "I Wish" is a lullaby to her own son. She duets with Chris Mann (one of the stars of The Voice) in her song "Because You Need Me" and we hear Heather's tougher, R&B-driven side in "Hey Mama", co-written with and produced by her brother Iric Headley Jr. Some might be put off by her cover of "River Deep, Mountain High"; let's face it, no one can get close to Ike & Tina Turner's epic original, but I felt Heather really made it rock. One dramatic highlight is "Home", the song sung by Diana Ross in The Wiz. Once again Heather demonstrates that she is a class act.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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